Want to see the solar eclipse in Norway? Mind the bears

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Norwegian authorities are reminding visitors who want to eye a total solar eclipse from the remote Arctic island of Svalbard this month to be aware of polar bears, dress warmly and make sure they have a place to stay before coming.

The governor of Svalbard said in leaflets and online that visitors should remember that the average temperature for March is -15 degrees C (5 degrees Fahrenheit) and polar bears roam there freely. He added accommodations have been booked for years.

A solar eclipse occurs March 20 in a narrow path across the northern hemisphere and the Svalbard archipelago, more than 800 kilometers (500 miles) north of the Norwegian mainland, is one of the best places to see it.

In Germany, experts said the eclipse will be a good test of the country's electricity grid, which relies increasingly on renewable energy. The partial eclipse affecting Germany is expected to cause a sudden drop and then a surge in solar-generated power, which contributed almost 6 percent to Germany's energy mix last year.